


blood and honey

by sharingoxygenwithyou



Series: Tumblr Prompts [9]
Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: F/M, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Tumblr Prompt, why isn't there a tag for Katherine?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-10
Updated: 2017-11-10
Packaged: 2019-01-31 13:12:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12682596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sharingoxygenwithyou/pseuds/sharingoxygenwithyou
Summary: “You ride to London per the King’s request and you come back months later with your mistress?”





	blood and honey

**Author's Note:**

> ASKED BY ANONYMOUS
> 
> Can you write something about the love triangle between Richard Anne and Kate of one of your fics? Thanks!
> 
> \--------------------------------  
> I'm not really sure about the ages of Katherine and John but I assume they are 3-4 years older than Ned.

It was the indistinct noise of the courtyard that caught Anne’s attention, she looked out the window of her apartment to see that they were lowering the drawbridge and that meant one thing; Richard was home.

She smiled to herself before picking up her Ned, who was playing the wooden blocks on the flooring, building a castle with the different shaped blocks.

“Come now, Ned.” She said to Ned, who would be turning 4 years old in that week. Richard was just in time for the celebration of his birthday. “Your father’s home.”

“Papa’s home?” Ned asked, beaming. The hadn’t seen his father in almost four months, for he was called to London court. As a royal duke and brother to the King, Richard was a public figure. He was called to attend sessions of parliament and royal council.

When Anne was in the main hall, she saw Richard’s other children; Kate and John – both were from his previous liaisons with a woman who Anne never met. Their mother became ill and it was Richard’s decision to take bring them to Middleham, to take them in and to better provide for them.

Anne made no comment on their arrival to Middleham the year before, in truth it was something she wasn’t against, especially with Ned being thrilled with the fact that he had more people to play with, but she would be lying if she said that she didn’t have a hard time looking at them, John, the youngest among the two resembled Richard in almost every way except for his big blue eyes and Anne assumed that Kate took after her mother with her bright yellow hair and blue eyes. Every time she looked them in the eyes, she saw Richard yet also a stranger. A stranger who had been a part of Richard’s life while she was exiled in France and married off to a monster just for her father’s political gain.

As Anne climbed down the steps to the courtyard with her son in her arms and Kate and John following behind them, Richard had crossed the drawbridge on his horse. The smile on Anne’s face when she saw her husband was radiant. She truly missed him, however, the smile on her face was wiped away and was replaced with a confused look when she noticed that there was someone with him. On a separate horse was a woman. Her long bright yellow hair cascaded down her back as she reined her horse. Richard helped her down and again, Anne was more confused with the way her hands lingered on his shoulder after helping her down.

Her train of thought was shattered when Kate and John ran passed her and towards the woman.

“Mama!” Kate had shouted as she met the woman who kneeled down to their level to engulf them in a hug.

Anne met Richard’s eyes across the courtyard if he had expected for her to run to greet him like she always did, he was mistaken.

“Mama?” She turned to look at Ned, who seemed confused as to why his mother didn’t go to his father.

“Let’s go in, Ned,” Anne said softly as she turned her back to return the castle, her hold on her son grew a little more tight than usual.

* * *

“Have you lost your mind?” Anne cried as she paced inside Richard’s work chamber. It was after dinner when she finally spoke to him. She needed a moment to gather her thoughts. However, she couldn’t figure out what would possess him to bring his mistress to their home. “You ride to London per the King’s request and you come back months later with your mistress?”

“She is not my mistress,” Richard answered as he sat on the edge of his desk, watching her pace. He had anticipated that her reaction would be harsh but he just needed for her to understand the situation. “I have not lain with her since we wed.”

“She’s just the mother of your bastard children!” Anne shouted, anger seeping into her voice.  "Why have you brought her here?“

“While I was at London a priest wrote to me,” He started to explain, keeping his voice leveled and soft. “Saying that Katherine had a fever and that she may not make it. He wrote that it was her last wish to see me and to make sure that I provide for the children. I came to visit and by morning, a miracle happened and the fever broke. She was alive. But it scared her, Anne. She said she wanted to see the children. To spend more time with them.”

As he explained, the frown on Anne’s face grew. She should sympathies with a mother who just wanted to see her children, she couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be far from her Ned, but the only thing that kept running through her mind was that he brought the mother of his bastard children to their household, the residents would surely gossip about his mistress.

“You dishonor me by bringing your mistress to stay here?” She asked, looking him in the eyes and keeping her voice low.

Richard stood up and straightened himself before playing has hands on the sides of her arm, lowering his head and placing a sweet kiss on her forehead, “I have not lain with her in years and I do not plan to. I have you now. You are enough.”

Anne broke free from Richard’s hold and made sure to look him in the eyes once more before speaking, “She is the mother of your children. I care for those children as if they are my own. Our son seems to enjoy their company and I cannot fault them for their existence but that woman… she has no place here in my household.” She turned to leave the study but before she could push open the door, she turned to look at him one more time. “I want her gone by dawn.”

As Anne made her way to the nursery wing of the castle to say goodnight to Ned, as it was accustomed of her, she walked passed the chambers of Kate and John. She could hear indistinguishable murmurs from inside, she peered through the crack of the door and saw Katherine talking to her children.

“Are you going to stay with us, mama?” John asked as he sat on the bed.

“I’m not sure, my child.” Katherine ran her hand through his black curls that greatly resembled those of Richard’s.

“Why not?” Kate asked from the bed next to John’s.

“I do not think Lady Anne would permit it.” She told them truthfully.

“Why not? Lady Anne is nice.” John said, confused because surely gentle Lady Anne would allow their mother to stay with them.

“She is!” Kate agreed, her voice growing in volume as she spoke with enthusiasm. “She lets us play with all the toys we want and lets us have all the baked apples we want after supper!”

“You have supper with her?” The surprise in Katherine’s voice was evident but Anne supposed those weren’t such things a Duchess would do with her husband’s bastards.

“We do.” John nodded.

Katherine seemed to be thoughtful for a moment before standing up and kissing John on the forehead. “It is growing late, my loves. We will see what tomorrow brings us. Good night.”  She moved to Kate to do the same before walking towards the door.

Anne panicked for a moment as she reached for the door. Anne took a step back and Katherine was surprised to see Lady Anne.

“My lady,” Katherine said with wide eyes and gave a small bow. “May I help you with anything?”

“No,” Anne shook her head then paused, “May we speak in private?”

“Of course, Your Grace,” Katherine replied and followed Anne towards her apartments.

* * *

As they entered Anne’s apartment, Anne moved towards a few glasses and a pitcher of wine.

“Would you like some?” She said as she poured herself a glass.

“No thank you, Your Grace,” Katherine said as she stood there watching Anne.

“You may sit, please,” Anne said as she took a sip from her glass. She didn’t usually care for wine but she needed the courage to say the words that were forming in her mind.

“Thank you,”

“Richard told me what happened,” Anne stated, looking at Katherine who sat in one of the wooden chairs. “I am glad to hear that you are well.”

“As am I,” She replied, giving a small smile. “I thank the Lord and the Virgin for their mercy.”

“He has also told me that you want to spend more time with the children.”

“I do, my lady.”

“And you may,” Anne said, the small indistinguishable look on her face transformed into a stern one that didn’t match her sweet and kind face. “But not here.”

“Pardon me?”

“You want to spend time with your children, I understand that,” Anne said, taking another sip of wine but realized her glass was already empty. She poured more into her glass before taking another drink. “But not in my household. I won’t stand to be my humiliated in my own household with your presence.”

“Your Grace?” Katherine stood up as Anne spoke.

“I can make arrangements for you and the children to stay in the village,” Anne explained, she hated how cold and stern she sounded but pride was stronger. “You can stay there and the children can still visit Richard and my Ned whenever they want.”

“But Richard would never –” She was cut off by Anne, and she was glad. She had called him by his given name, something she knew was wrong for her but she had grown used to it in the past.

“ _Richard_ is my husband,” Anne said, her tone hard. “You are staying here because of his kindness, fondness, and dare I say it, his love for you.” The words left a bitter taste in her mouth. “But I do not share the same sentiments.”

Katherine seemed quiet for a moment, her eyes not leaving Anne’s. “My children said you were kind. Richard said you would understand. I thought as a mother you would understand the situation.”

“I do understand. But I wish you understand the pain it brings me when I look at them. I see them and I am reminded of my own failures.” Anne spoke the truth and Katherine seemed to be taken back by her words. “Not long ago he loved you and you gave him two beautiful children. I can only give him one.”

“He loves you, Your Grace.” Katherine countered. She would be lying if she said that she didn’t have feelings for Richards still, but she grew to accept that his heart now belonged to his wife. To Anne.

“But you will always be a part of his life that I can’t erase.” 

 

**Author's Note:**

> http://sharingoxygenwithyou.tumblr.com


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